[erlang-questions] Fix width integer computations

[Mikael Pettersson]

Joe Armstrong writes:
 >  Question:
 > 
 >  I have a C program that has a line of code like this:
 > 
 >  mx = (z>>5 ^ y<<2) + (y>>3 ^ z<<4) ^ (sum^y) + (k[p&3 ^ e] ^ z);
 > 
 >  All the variables are unsigned long
 > 
 >  How do I code this in Erlang?
 > 
 >  First thoughts:
 > 
 >    transcribe X >> N as trim(X bsl N)
 >               X << N as trim(X bsr N)
 >               X + Y  as trim(X + Y)
 >               X ^ Y  as X bxor Y
 >         where trim(X) = X band 16#ffffffff
 > 
 >    Is this correct? - The result must be bit identical to the C code,
 >    how many of the trims can I eliminate?
 > 
 >    A nieve translation of  (y>>3 ^ z<<4)
 > 
 >    is trim(Y bsr 3) bxor trim(Z bsl 4)
 > 
 >    identical to trim((Y bsr 3) bxor (Z bsl 4)) ????

- bsl and + may extend the number of bits
- bsr (you defined it as unsigned >>) is sensitive to the number
  of bits but does not extend it
- bxor preserves or reduces the number of bits

So your (y>>3) ^ (z<<4) should be (Y bsr 3) bxor trim(Z bsl 4).

/Mikael